Governor mechanism.



No. 639,450 Patented Dec. I9, |899. R. SHIRREFFS.

GOVERNOR MECHANISM.

(Application led .Tune 20, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Smets-Sheet I.

Patented Dec. I9, |899.

R. SHIHREFFS.

GOVERNOR MECHANISM.

(Application filed June 20, 1899.)

2 Sheets-sncat 2.

(No Model.)

and State of Virginia, have invented certain UNITED STATES PATENTGEEIcE.

REUBEN SIIIRREFFS, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

GOVERNOR IVIECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,450, dated.December 19, 1899.

Application lcd J'nne 20, 1899. Serial No. 721,254. (No model.)

Be it known that I, REUBEN SHTRREEES, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico new and usefulImprovements in Governor Mechanism, of which the following is aspecilication.

My invention relates to improvements in governor mechanismchiefiyintended for governors for water-wheels, and particularly, thoughnot exclusively, adapted for side-supply turbine water-wheels. Myimproved governor is also adapted for use in connection withsteam-engines for controlling the valves thereof.

The object of the invention in connection with water-wheels is toprovide governor mechanism of novel construction and mode of operationcapable of delicate operation to correct the slightest deviation of thewheel from normal speed and exerting progressivelyincreased forceaccording to the degree of the deviation from the normal speed, and forthis purpose operating` to open and close the gates of the water-wheelsmoothly and without shock or jar and with great accuracy opening orclosing the gates to just the degree required to correct the evil. Thenemployed in connection with steam-engines, the governor will perform theusual functions in a novel and improved manner.

To these ends the invention consists in the novel construction,combination, arrangement, and mode of operation of parts, as hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the appended clauses of the claim,reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figurc l isa view, partly in elevation and partly in central section, illustratingmechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a View looking at the faceof the water-gates and showing the manner of their connection with therods for opening and closing them. Fig. 3 is a crosssectional view ofthe valvechest on the line 3 3 of Fig. l, illustrating theelectromagnets for operating the valves. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic viewshowing the electromagnets', the circuits thereof, and the contactleverfor making and breaking the circuits.

In the drawings Ihave illust-rated and will now describe the bestembodiment now known to me of my invention, and in which the governormechanism is arranged in connection with a two-turbine-water-wheelinstallation wherein the wheels are arranged on a horizontal shaft; butI desire it understood that the essence of my invention may be embodiedin arrangements adapted for use with waterwheels of other constructionor in connection with a single side-supply turbine wheel or wheelsarranged on a vertical shaft to have a horizontal rotation. The governoris adapted, furthermore, for application to steam-engines.

I d0 not confine myself to the particular details of construction andarrangement hereinafter described otherwise than as specifically sotforth in the claims.

In the said drawings the reference-numeral l indicates the shaft of thewater-wheels, 2 the water-wheels, which are conventionally illustratedin dotted lines, and 3 the gates of the water-wheels. As these parts inthemselves constitute no part of my invention,they need not be morefully shown or referred to. The said gates 3 are capable of movementlongitudinally of the shaft to regulate the admission of water to theturbine wheels, increasing or diminishing the supply automatically,according to the increase or decrease of the speed of the water-wheelsas compared with the normal speed thereof. The gates are so movedthrough the medium of rods 4, connected thereto, as shown, and providedwith piston-heads 5, located in and adapted to traverse thepiston-cylinders G. The piston-rods extend out of the cylinders and havetheir free ends provided with racks 7, and said rods pass throughstu'l'iing-boxes 8, carried by the cylinder-heads, to afford fluidtightpackings. Mounted upon a countershaft 9 are gear-wheels l0, only one ot'which is shown, which mesh with the racks 7 of the piston-rods to causesaid rods and the watergates connected therewith to move in precisionand equally.

The numeral ll indicates a single valvechest divided in the exampleshown by partitional walls l2 into four valve-chambers 13 13 and la la,the valve-seats being indicated by the numeral l5, three valve-seatsbeing arranged in each valve-chamber in alinement IOC) to exhaust.

sie 639,450

and graded in area to form graded ports 1G, as illustrated in Fig. 3 ofthe drawings.

As will hereinafter fully appear, the valves arranged in the tworight-hand valve-chainbers 13 13 operate to admit the motive fluid tothrow the pistons to open the gates and increase the supply of waterthereto and to exhaust from the opposite sides of said pistons, andthose valves 22 221l arranged in the two left-hand chambers operate toadmit the fluid to the pistons in the reverse direction to close thegates and decrease the supply of water to the wheel and to exhaust fromthe opposite sides of said pistons.

The numerals 18 18n designate the valves disposed in the twovalve-chambers 13 13 at the right of Fig. 1, 18 being the inlet-valvefor the motive 'fluid and 18 the exhaustvalve. The valves are arrangedin pairsinlet and exhaust--pivotally connected by stems 19 to theopposite ends of tilting arms 20, carried by posts or pedestals 21 onthe valve-chest, and in the example illustrated are disposedin series ofthree pairs, the valves being in alinement and graded in size tocorrespond with the areas of the ports 1G, as clearly shown in Fig. Thenumerals 22 22 indicate a similar series of valves arranged in thevalve-chambers 11 11 at the left of the valve-chest in Fig. 1, thenumeral 22 indicating the duid-inlet valve and the numeral 22 theexhaust-valve. These valves are mounted in pairs in like manner to thevalves 18 18 and are graded in size to cover the graded ports also inlike manner to said valves 18 18a.

The numeral 23 indicates a closed tank or reservoir for the storage ofthe motive iuid, which may be water, oil, or air or other fluid underpressure. The pressure is maintained by a suitable pump 24,conventionally shown in the drawings. This tank 23 is an elevated one,and it is possible under some conditions, where water or oil is themotive fluid employed, that there will be sufficient'. head or drop toperform the operation required thereof, the pump serving to supply thetank with water or oil, as will be apparent. l prefer, however, a closedtank and to have the motive fluid under pressure. The conduit from thepump to the tank is indicated by the numeral 25. A pipe or conduit 26leads from the tank or reservoir to conduct the motive fluid to thevalve-chest and thence to pass to actuate the pistons and the gatescarried thereby when required by the operation of the governor. rlhepipe or conduit opens in to the valve-chest at the outside chambers 13and 14, as shown at 2G and 26h.

By arranging or grouping the valves in a single valve-chest, asdescribed, I am enabled to simplify the construction and operation,since, as shown, it is necessary to employ but two pipes for conductingthe motive fluid to the pistons for operation thereof and also Thepiston-cylinders are, even when the water-wheel is moving at normalresults in a cushioning, as it were, of the pistons, whereby they aresteadied or supported on both their sides. This is accomplished byconnecting together the inlet and exhaust valves, as shown. The coursepursued by the motive iiuid when the valves 18 18 are opened, as shownat the right hand of Fig. 1, to actuate the pistons to open thewater-gates when the speed of the wheel is below normal, and thusincrease the supply of water to raise the speed to normal, is indicatedby the full-line arrows, the course being from pressure-tank 23 throughconduit 2o', past the valve 1 8,and through pipe 27, one part goingthrough the mouth 28 of said pipe and entering in front of one piston 5,forcing the same to the left and opening` the gate connected therewith.Another part of the motive fluid continues through the pipe 27 and`enters behind the other piston forcing it to the right and opening thegate to which its rod is connected. The course of exhaustfrom a supposedprevious and opposite movement of the pistons is also indicated by thefullline arrows, t-he same being from the pistoncylinders into the pipe30, past the valve 18, and to t-he pump through the pipe 3l, whence itis again forced into the tank for future use. Should the speed of thewater-wheel be too great, the governor, operating as hereinafterdescribed, will close the valves 1S 18 and open the valves 22 22, whenthe travel of the motive fluid will be in the reverse direction to thatdescribed, and consequently operating the pistons in the reversedirection to close the gates, the then course being indicated by thedotted-line arrows and the exhaust being also indicated by arrows indotted lines. lVhen the motive fluid enters at one side of the pistons,it will be observed that the exhaust from the opposite side is a forcedone, or, in other words, the exhaust fluid is forced or driven by thepiston through the exhaustport in the valve-chest, which is arrangedabove the piston-cylinder. The valves are controlled for the functionthus ascribed to them by a novel mechanism operated by the governor, aswill be now referred to.

An ordinary ball or similar governor is conventionally shown andindicated by the numeral 32, its specific construction not beingimportant to this invention, and any suitable centrifugal governor maybe employed. The governoris driven from the shaft of the waterwheel inany convenient manner, such as a belt-and-gearconnection Electromagnets31- are arranged in two series in cooperative relation to the valves,each series comprising in the present example three electromagnets, thearmatures 35 of which are carried by the tilting valve-arms 20, so thatwhen energized the attraction of the armatures by the magnets willoperate to open the corresponding pair of valves, and when the magnetsare deenergized the weight of the armatures, which are carried at oneend of the tilting arms, will lOO IIO

operate to close said valves. lVhen the governor is moving at normalspeed, all the valves are of course in closed position against theirseats and by reason of the manner of their coupling in pairs arepractically balanced, so that their operation is much facilitated.

The numeral 3G indicates a battery which I prefer to employ, though donot restrict myself thereto, as other source of electrical energy may beadopted within the scope of my invention. To this battery are connectedone terminal of the windings 37 of each electromagnet employed, theother terminals being connected to mercury-cups 3S. Suitably pivoted ona support (not shown) is a contactlever 3U, one end of which isconnected with a ring 40, freely movable up and down upon thegovernor-staff 4l, according to the speed of the governor, and thisconnection operates to tilt the contact-lever in one or the otherdirection. The lever-is in electrical connection with the battery andcarries two series of contact-Wires 42, arranged on opposite sides ofits fulcrnm-point and adapted, according to the direction and degree oftilt of the lever, to make and break contact with one or more of thecorresponding series of mercury-cups, and thus make and break theenergizing-current through the magnet-windings whose terminals areconnected to said mercury-cups. As shown, these contact-wires are ofdifferent lengths, in order that they may successively make contact withthe mercury-cups, whereby the valves of either series 18 1S or 22 22amay be opened in succession, according to the demand made forpiston-actuating motive fluid by the speed of the governor, which, asstated,

receives its movement from the water-wheel shaft.

As hereinbefore stated, the valve-ports and the valves in each set orseries are graded in size in order to admit passage of a greater or lessquantity of the motive fluid, and it is designed, as illustrated, thatcontact shall rst be made with the mercury-cup in circuit with thatmagnet which controls the valve closing the port of least area, and thisis desirable, first, because the supply of motive fluid afforded by aport of least area may be sutiicient to correct the speed ol theWater-wheel, and,secondly, in cases Where it is not suflicient suchsupply will serve at all events to start the movement of the piston,whereupon it will be promptly assisted by an increased .dow of themotive fluid through the valves which are opened in succession by themaking of contact with the other mercury-cups in the series, and thusall shock which would otherwise occur bythe sudden vforceful movement ofthe pistons is avoided. The arrangement is also advantageous in thatwhen the speed of the water-wheel has been approximately brought tonormal the breaking of contact will first occur in the circuit whichcontrols the valve closing the port of greatest area and the other portssuccessively, thus obviating the danger of opening or closing the gatesto a greater degree than required and instead ot correcting the speed ofthe wheel creating an evil on the other side by causing it to move tooslow or too fast, as the case may be. Such a defective operation wouldresult in an almost constant deviation of the speed of the wheel fromnormal, and therefore an almostconstant movement of the pistons andgates. For instance, if the faultwhich is sought to be corrected is thatthe wheel is moving too rapidly, then when the gates have moved toapproximately the closed position desired and that circuit is brokenwhich is necessary to permit the port of greatest area to close, themotive fluid supplied by the other ports of smaller area until closed issufficient to move the gates to pre.- cisely that degree of closing`which is essential under the circumstances without too greatly closingthem, which, as will be obvious, would cause the evil o1" the wheelsmoving too slowly, and this having to be corrected the result would bean almost constant deviation of the speed of the wheel and movement ofthe pistons and gates.

The arrangement shown of the tilting lever and the mercury-cupconnection for making and breaking the circuits of the electromagnets isa very satsfactory one and is speciiically claimed by me; but in thebroader aspect ot my invention l do not conne myself to thisarrangement, as other suitable means for making and breaking thecircuits of the magnets to be operated by the governor may be employed.

In a two-wheel installation four cylinders G are employed, onepairbeingarranged above the other, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawings. When the invention is embodied in connection with a one-wheelinstallation, the two upper cylinders are omitted. But one cylinder andpiston is necessary when the governor is applied to steam-engines, andthe piston-rod will be connected to the throttle-valve or other valve tobe controlled in any usual manner known to those skilled in the art.Except in that the piston-rod will be connected to a throttle or othervalve instead of a gate-valve of a water-wheel the governor mechanism isconstructed, arranged, and operates in the manner hereinbeicre setforth.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim 11sl. In governormechanism,the combination with a piston-cylinder and piston, of avalvechest, pipes communicating with the valvechest and with thepiston-cylinder at opposite sides of the piston, each of said pipesserving as supply and also as exhaust pipes for the piston-cylinder,tilting arms carried by said valve-chest and provided with an armature,valves hung` at opposite ends of said tilting arm, electromagnetsarranged in operative relation to said tilting arm, means for making IOSand breaking the circuit of said magnets, and a fluid-pressure supplyfor opera-ting the piston, substantially as described.

2. In governor 1nechanism,the combination with a piston-cylinder andpiston, a valvechest, and means for supplying fiuid under pressure tothe piston-cylinder through the valve-chest, of a tilting arm carried bysaid valve-chest, inlet and exhaust valves hung at opposite ends of saidarm, and electromag netic mechanism for tilting said arm to operate saidvalves, substantially as described.

3. In governor mechanism,the combination with a piston-cylinder andpiston, of a tank for supplying fiuid under pressure to operate saidpiston, a valve chest provided with valves and interposed between saidtank and said piston-cylinder, means for operating the valves, pipescommunicating with said valvechest and said piston-cylinder forconducting the motive fluid to the piston-cylinder and exhaustingtherefrom, a pipe conveying the motive liuid from the tank to thevalve-chest and a pipe for conducting the exhaust from the valve-chestback to the tank, and a fluidcirculating pump, substantially asdescribed.

4. In governor mechanism,the combination with a piston-cylinder andpiston, of means for supplying fluid under pressure to thepiston-cylinder comprising a valve-chest in com munication with thepiston-cylinder, a plurality of' inlet and a plurality of exhaust valvesarranged in said chest, and means for controlling the valves,substantially as described.

5. In governor mechanislmthe combination with a piston, of means 'forsupplying fluid under pressure for operating said piston cmbodying inletand exhaust valves hung together at opposite ends of a tilting arm, anarmature carried by said arm, electromagnetic mechanism for controllingsaid valves, and means for making and breaking the circuit thereof,substantially as described.

6. In governor mechanism, the combination with a pistoircylinder andpiston, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to thepistoncylinder comprising inlet and exhaust valves hung at opposite endsof a tilting arm, of eleetromagnets for controlling said valves, and atilting lever connected to a speed-governor for making and breaking thecircuits of the magnets, substantially as described.

7. In governor mechanism, the combination with a piston, and a cylinderin which said piston is arranged, means for supplying fluid underpressure to the cylinder embodying inlet and exhaust valves hung atopposite ends of a tilting arm, electromagnets for controlling saidvalves, a speed-governor, and a tilting lever connected therewith andcarrying contact-wires for making and breaking the circuits of saidmagnets, substantially as described.

8. In governor mechanism, the combination with a piston-cylinder andpiston, of means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinderembodying valves graded in size, and means for controlling said valves,substantially as described.

il. In governormechanism, the combination with a piston-cylinder andpiston, of means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinderembodying valves graded in size, and electromagnetic mechanism l'orcontrolling said valves, substantially as described.

10. In governor mechanism, the combination with a cylinder and piston,of means for supplying fiuid under pressure to said cylinder comprisinga plurality of series of valves graded in size, and means forcontrolling said valves, substantially as described.

Il. In governor mechanism, the combination with a cylinder and piston,of means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinder comprisinga plurality of series of valves graded in size, a plurality et series ofelectromagnets operatively arranged with relation to said valves, acircuit making and breaking mechanism comprising a plurality of seriesof contacts for successively making and breaking the circuits ot themagnets whereby the valves are successively opened and closed,substantially as described.

I2. In governor mechanism, the combination with a cylinder and piston,of means for supplying duid under pressure to said cylinder comprising asingle valve-chest, a plurality of inlet and a plurality of exhaustvalves arranged in said chest, pipes leading from the valve-chest to thepiston-cylinder, and means for controlling the valves, substantially asdescribed.

lf3. In governor mechanism, the combination with a cylinder and piston,of means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinder comprisinga single valve-chest, a plurality of inlet and a plurality of exhaustvalves arranged in said chest, pipes leading from the valve-chest to thepiston-cylinder, and electromagnetic means for controlling the valves,substantially as described.

ll. In governor mechanism, the combination with a cylinder and piston,of means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinder, comprisingtwo sets of' inlet and exhaust valves, each set containing a series ofvalves for admitting` the motive fluid to opposite sides of the pistonand exhausting from the reverse sides, and means for controlling saidvalves, substantially as described.

15. In governor mechanism, the combination with acylinder and piston, ofmeans for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinder, comprisingtwo sets of inlet and exhaust valves, each set containing a series ofvalves for admitting the fluid to opposite sides ol the piston andexhausting from the reverse sides, and electromagnetic means forcontrolling said valves, substantially as described.

16. In governor mechanism, the combination with a cylinder and piston,of means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinder comprisingindependentinlet and exhaust IOO IIO

IZO

valves graded in size, and means for individually orindependentlyopening and closing said valves, substantially as described.

17. In governor mechanism, the combination with a cylinder and piston,of means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylindercomprisingindependent inlet and exhaust valves graded in size, andelectromagnetic mechanism for opening and closing said valves,substantially as described.

18. In governor mechanism, the combination with a cylinder and piston,of means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinder embodyinginlet and exhaust valves graded in size, electromagnets for controllingsaid valves, and contact mechanism for successively opening andsuccessively closing said valves, substantially as described.

19. In governor mechanism, the combination with a cylinder and piston,of means lor supplying iiuid under pressure to said cylinder embodyinginlet and exhaust valves graded in size and hung together in pairs ontilting arms, armatures carried by said arms, electromagnets, and meansfor successively energizing and deenergizing said magnets to open andclose said valves, substantially as described.

20. In governor mechanism, the combination with a cylinder and piston,of means for supplying fluid under pressure to said cylinder comprisinga single valve-chest, pipes leading from said valve-chest to thepistoncylinder, a plurality of series of inlet and exhaust valves gradedin size and hung in pairs on tilting arms, armatures carried by saidarms, electromagnets, and a lever connected to and operated by aspeed-governor and contacts carried thereby to successively make andbreak the circuits of the electromagnets, whereby the graded valves areopened and closed in succession according to the direction and degree ofthe tilt of the contactlever, substantially as described.

21. In mechanism for governing waterwheels, the combination of rodsconnected to the wheel-gate, cylinders through which said rods pass,pistons upon said rods within said cylinders, racks upon the ends ofsaid rods, gear-wheels in mesh with said racks causing the rods to movevin precision, a single valvechest containing a plurality of inlet andexhaust valves, a pair of pipes leading from said valvechest to thepiston-cylinders, and y electromagnetic means for opening and closingthe valves, substantially as described.

22. In mechanism for governing waterl wheels, the combination with rodsconnected l to the wheel-gate, cylinders through which said rods pass,pistons upon said rods within said cylinders, racks upon the ends ofsaid rods, gear-wheels in mesh with said racks causing the rods to movein precision, a single valve-chest containing a plurality of series ofvalves graded in size, a pair of pipes leading from said valve-chest tothe pistorncylinders, and electromagnetic means for opening and closingthe valves in succession, substantially as described.

In mechanism for governing waterwheels, the combination with rodsconnected to the wheel-gate, pistoncylinders through which said rodspass, pistons on the rods within the cylinders, racks on the ends ofsaid rods, gear-\vheels in mesh with said racks, a single valve-chest, aplurality of inlet and eX haust valves arranged in said chest,electromagnetic means for opening and closing said valves, apressure-tank communicating with said valve-chest, a pair of pipesleading from the valve-chest to the piston-cylinders, an ex* haust-pipeleading from the valve-chest, and a pump for forcing the exhaust Huidinto the pressure-tank, substantially as described.

2i. In mechanism for governingatwo-wheel waterwheel installation, thecombination with rods connected with the gates of the wheels,piston-cylinders through which said rods pass, pistons on said rods,racks on the ends of said rods, gear-wheels in mesh with said racks, avalve-chest, a plurality of inlet and exhaust valves in said chest,pipes leading from the valve-chest to the piston-eylinders, apressure-tank in communication with the valvc-chcst,a p u m p,anexhaustpipe leading from the valve-'chest to the pu mp, a conduit frcmthe pump to the pressure-tank, and electromagnetic mechanism for openingand closing the valves, substantially as described.

25. In governor mechanism, the combination with a plurality of pairs ofpiston-cylinders, of pistons arrangeiil therein the rods of which extendout of the cylinders and are pro vided with racks, gear-wheels mountedon a counter-shaft and meshing with the piston rod racks to cause thepistons to move in precision and equally and means for operating thepistons, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

REUBEN SHIRR'EFFS. Witnesses:

B. H. Davis, CARY SnnrrannQ

